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Barnard also abused three other young girls at addresses in Salford, bringing the total number of victims to six.

Barnard, 56, formerly of Eccles, was branded a dangerous offender by the judge shortly after being found guilty of abusing his six victims, who were as young as four when the abuse began.

He had denied all the offences, which stretched back to the early eighties, claiming the victims were all lying.

Manchester Crown Court, pictured, heard that Barnard must serve at least two-thirds of his 22-year sentence

Barnard, who was last living in Middlesbrough, Teesside, has now been jailed for 22 years, with an extended licence period for the public protection.

I'm abundantly satisfied you are a dangerous individual so far as children and sexual offending is concerned

Judge Michael Henshell

This means that unlike ordinary prisoners, he must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence, rather than half, and can only be released when the parole board think it is safe to do so.

Even after his release, he will remain at risk of being recalled to prison until 2042.

In total, Barnard was found guilty of three rapes and sixteen indecent assaults.

Sending him down, Judge Michael Henshell said Barnard, formerly known as Peter Barnard, had treated his victims as his 'sexual property' and bullied them into keeping quiet.

'I'm abundantly satisfied you are a dangerous individual so far as children and sexual offending is concerned.

'Throughout your life you have demonstrated you are sexually attracted to young girls. You are also highly manipulative and have used coercion. You have corrupted children and by turns terrified them', the judge added.

Thanking the jury, the judge added: 'At a time when matters of this nature are on the news everyday...you have seen at first-hand the ordeal faced by people recounting events from their childhood.'